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Andy Simpson, the unluckiest England rugby player in history, finally gets his Test cap

Longsuffering hooker, who warmed bench for 21 Tests and lost part of a thumb, is getting RFU recognition at last

Initially, Andy Simpson thought it was a Saturday morning wind-up. Someone from the Rugby Football Union museum was phoning to tell him that, at the age of 71, he was finally a capped England player. Given he had retired without featuring in an officially recognised Test – “the first thing you think is: ‘Who’s taking the mickey here?’” – his scepticism was understandable.

But no, it was totally legit. Simpson is among 47 former players now basking in a warm, rosy glow that had previously eluded them. Having trawled through its archives, the RFU has deemed that several fixtures against full-strength national teams – including a 1986 contest between Italy and an England B side containing Simpson – were effectively Test matches. The long wait is over and the golden oldie debutants have been invited to attend a special, if belated, capping ceremony on 8 June.

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Golden Knights Capture Pacific Division Title After 4-1 Beatdown Over Kraken

The Vegas Golden Knights are the champions of what might be the most anticlimactic race of all time. With a 4-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday, they clinched their fifth Pacific Division title in franchise history.

Connor McDavid’s words were truth disguised as jest– this year, teams in the Pacific Division have done nothing but squander opportunities to pull ahead in the race to claim the division title. It took until day 190 of the NHL season for a team to pull ahead and stake its claim on the Pillow Fight Division title.

“We were on top there for a while, for a lot of the season,” said Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb. “Then we’re in third, flirting with a wildcard. We found our game at the right time and won the division. That’s what we wanted to do, and we did it.”

For the first 30 minutes of play, it didn’t look like the Golden Knights were particularly interested in winning said division. It took them nearly nine minutes to record their first shot on goal; the Kraken recorded nine shots before Vegas managed two. But after an encouraging power play opportunity, Seattle only outshot the Golden Knights 11-6 at the end of the first period.

But despite being thoroughly outshot– and arguably outplayed– the Golden Knights entered the second period with a clean slate and a 0-0 tie.

Both teams recorded nine shots on goal in the second period, and the Golden Knights generated three high-danger scoring chances against Seattle’s two.

The Kraken broke the ice 2:24 into the second period. Carter Hart kicked out Jamie Oleksiak’s blast from the point, and Jani Nyman beat Jeremy Lauzon to the puck. Nyman found Shane Wright all alone in front of the net, and Wright fired it home.

The Golden Knights netted the equalizer at 17:35 in the second. Nic Dowd won the offensive zone draw, and Shea Theodore beat Nikke Kokko with a shot through Reilly Smith’s screen.

Finally, the ice opened up in the third period. The Golden Knights outshot the Kraken 12-4 and controlled 91.39% of the expected goal share. They also generated nine high-danger scoring chances while not allowing Seattle to manage a single one.

The Golden Knights took their first lead of the night just 1:23 into the third period off another face-off play. Jack Eichel won the offensive zone draw back to Brayden McNabb, who walked the line and fired a shot on goal. As McNabb’s shot came through, Mitch Marner redirected it home from the slot.

The Golden Knights extended their lead at 12:01 in the third. Jack Eichel capitalized on a blown coverage in the offensive zone and set up a two-on-one. Rasmus Anderson got the pass across for Reilly Smith, who slammed a fluttering puck into the empty net.

The Golden Knights added another on a delayed penalty at 16:36. Tomáš Hertl fired a shot on goal; Kaedan Korczak, who was parked atop the crease, whacked at the rebound. The puck came loose, and Reilly Smith banged in his second of the night from the goal line.

Nothing this year has been easy for the Golden Knights, and this game was no different.

“We just slowly went about our business and finally found our game,” said head coach John Tortorella following the 4-1 win. “You’d almost want to play one of those before the playoffs, if you knew the result was going to be a win– they don’t like being in it when it’s going on. But give our guys a lot of credit, they stayed with it and just kept on playing. They’ve grabbed hold of it. We have found some consistency, and they feel more and more comfortable with it.”

Three Takeaways of the Knight

1. Despite playing without much intensity in the first period, the Golden Knights entered the first intermission tied at zero. Despite having nothing to play for, the Kraken took advantage of Vegas’ uninspired play and shelled Carter Hart in the first period. Shea Theodore raved about his goaltender postgame:

“He’s been great,” Theodore said following the 4-1 win. “He’s been so solid. I think we’ve given up too many chances, but he’s been big back there. He’s been a backbone ever since he came back.”

2. The team is fully bought in right now, and no one embodies that more than Reilly Smith. He’s been in and out of the lineup for a chunk of the season, but he’s never let that affect his work ethic or attitude around the locker room.

“We have high expectations, and we try to live that every day,” said Smith after his two-goal performance. “Through the organization, the players, everyone, tries to live up to that level. Every day we’re at the rink, we don’t accept losing, and I think the last couple of weeks are a good testament to that.”

3. And with that, the 2026 regular season comes to a close for the Vegas Golden Knights. They’ll kick off the postseason this weekend at home against the Utah Mammoth.

When asked if he had any early thoughts about their playoff opponent, John Tortorella simply replied:

“Nope.”

That’s all, folks! 

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NBA Play-In Tournament winners, losers: Steph Curry shows he's still great

The first round of the NBA Play-In Tournament is a wrap, which means the playoff field is nearly set.

We now know who the No. 7 seeds will be in both the Eastern and Western Conferences: the Philadelphia 76ers and Portland Trail Blazers, respectively.

Now, the final two games of the Play-In, which will be Friday, April 17, will determine the No. 8 seeds. The Orlando Magic will host the Charlotte Hornets in the East, and the Phoenix Suns will host the Golden State Warriors out West.

But first, we have the chance to make sense of the first round.

Here are the winners and losers of the NBA Play-In Tournament, thus far:

WINNERS

Stephen Curry makes his case for the future

Even if the Warriors happen to upset the Suns Friday, they won’t go far in the playoffs. For one, their opponent would be the defending-champion Thunder. For another, this roster has too many injuries and too many holes.

But Curry’s heroics in Golden State’s thrilling victory over the Clippers, his 35 points and 7 made 3-pointers, sent a message to the team’s front office. More specifically, it sent a message to general manager Mike Dunleavy, that he needs to be aggressive and reshape this roster for one last run. Curry, though, will need some help. The team needs more shooting. It won’t happen this year, but Curry showed that he’s still capable of greatness.

The Oklahoma City Thunder

They did not play but ended up winning, anyway. The Thunder own the unprotected 2026 first-round pick that belonged to the Clippers, the last remaining piece of the trade that sent Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Oklahoma City.

Anyway, with Golden State’s victory over the Clippers, that pick is now a lottery selection, one with a 7.1% chance of becoming a Top 4 pick. The rich get richer.

Draymond Green

His defense on Kawhi Leonard was a masterclass in persistence and tenacity. Add those two big steals late in the game to an already iconic highlight reel.

The upstart Charlotte Hornets

Since the All-Star break, only the Spurs have a better offensive rating (121.8) and net rating (11.1) than the Hornets. San Antonio is a legitimate contender for a title. The Hornets still have to beat the Magic Friday to become the No. 8 seed — and to have the privilege of facing the No. 1 Detroit Pistons in the first round.

Either way, this is a massive moment for Charlotte, which earned its first postseason victory in nearly 10 years. One of the opposing players in the last Hornets victory April 27, 2016 was Amar’e Stoudemire … who was with the Heat. The Hornets play fast and shoot the ball extremely well. They’ve proven resilient. They’re also young and a fun watch and may be maturing in real time.

More: NBA punishes LaMelo Ball for play that injured Bam Adebayo

Tiago Splitter

The morning after the Trail Blazers played their season-opening game, Tiago Splitter awoke to his phone buzzing with texts and calls that his boss, Portland head coach Chauncey Billups, had been arrested for his alleged role in an illegal gambling ring.

All Splitter has done as the interim is turn the Blazers into a balanced, fluid offense and a pesky team. Turnovers are still an issue, but the best sign that Portland could be on the come up is that the players — both young and veteran — have developed over the course of the season.

LOSERS

Jamahl Mosley and Paolo Banchero

The Magic feel like a team headed for a disruptive offseason. They’ve underwhelmed this season and Paolo Banchero has regressed somewhat; he often runs through his offensive actions as if overthinking or lacking confidence. His 7-of-22 night against the 76ers, including 0-of-5 from 3-point range, pointed to the inefficiency with which he has played this season.

Had the Magic won their season finale against the Celtics, who rested their top seven rotation players, they would’ve hosted the 76ers in the Play-In. Instead, Orlando lost and now faces a tough Hornets team. It all spells trouble for coach Jamahl Mosley, whose job may be tenuous, given the team’s lack of cohesion.

The Los Angeles Clippers

Now that their season is officially over, it stands reason to believe that the NBA-backed investigation into alleged salary cap circumvention during Kawhi Leonard’s acquisition will wrap up without hindrance. Los Angeles could find itself in a precarious situation, depending on the severity of any potential discipline, and it could get even worse.

The pick Indiana sent to Los Angeles as part of the Ivica Zubac-Bennedict Mathurin trade only conveys to the Clippers if it falls between Nos. 5-9; the Pacers have a 52.1% chance to get a Top 4 selection.

More: Chris Paul mocks Clippers with meme after their play-in loss to Warriors

Erik Spoelstra and the Miami Heat

This team prides itself on competing every season and believing they can make a run deep into the postseason. But after four consecutive Play-In appearances, and after getting bounced Tuesday by the Hornets, it’s time for some introspection in Miami.

This roster isn’t balanced enough to threaten in the East. Miami may have solid stretches, but it simply lacks consistency. What’s worse is that coach Erik Spoelstra lacked trust in his rotations, tweaking them until the very end. Granted, the Heat faced injuries, but Spoelstra struggled to find combinations that worked with both Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware on the floor, just like he miscalculated the defensive shortcomings of a Tyler Herro-Norman Powell backcourt. Miami is stuck in purgatory, and this stale roster needs an overhaul.

More: Bam Adebayo injury after LaMelo Ball tie-up has Erik Spoelstra fuming

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Steph Curry highlights NBA Play-In Tournament winners and losers

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Stephen Curry finds his magic one more time, lifts Warriors past Clippers in play-in

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — At the start of the fourth quarter, in 2:33 without Stephen Curry or Kawhi Leonard on the court, the Clippers were +4, stretching their lead over the Warriors to as much as 13.

It didn't feel like enough — Stephen Curry was starting to heat up.

It wasn't.

Curry scored 27 of his 35 points in the second half — hitting 5-of-7 from deep — despite clearly being bothered by his troublesome right knee. It sparked a fourth-quarter double-digit comeback win by the Warriors, 126-121 in a dramatic play-in game.

"Everybody out there who thought Steph should have taken the rest of the year off, this is what he does," coach Steve Kerr said, pounding the table. "This is who he is."

With this win, the Warriors advance and will travel to Phoenix on Friday for a win-and-you 're-in final play-in game. The Clippers' season has come to an early and unceremonious end, despite an impressive second half of the season.

It wasn't just Curry who lifted the Warriors. Al Horford turned back the clock in the fourth quarter and went 4-of-4 from beyond the arc in the frame. Draymond Green had a strong defensive night against Kawhi Leonard, including a clutch steal near half court to help seal the win. The Warriors got 20-point games from Gui Santons (on 9-of-13 shooting) and Kristaps Porzingis (8-of-12).
"I just told [the team], with all the wins we've ever had here, a lot of them there was a lot more at stake, this is right up there," Kerr said. "Just because, where we are and our age and the decline of our performance this year, and the injuries, it was just a display of just a beautiful display of competitive will.

A big part of what the Warriors did was keep Leonard in check. He finished with 21 points on 8-of-17 shooting, but was just 2-of-6 with Green as the primary defender. More than just Green, the Warriors brought early doubles when Leonard started to face up and make his move. This stat sums up the Clippers' night: In the first half, LA was +16 in Leonard's 20 minutes, but -8 in the four minutes he sat. For the Game, Leonard was +7.

Bennedict Mathurin led the Clippers with 23 points off the bench, including 5-of-6 from 3-point range. Darius Garland finished with 21 points but battled foul trouble most of the night.

The Clippers now head into the postseason with a cloud hanging over them in the form of the league investigation into Leonard and the franchise's dealings with former team sponsor Aspiration. There is speculation around the league about the future of Leonard with the Clippers, a team that traded away James Harden and Ivica Zubac during the season.

The day will come when the Warriors need to answer questions about their future, but for now the only future that matters to them is Friday night in Phoenix and a chance to get back into the playoffs.

"We've had a really difficult season in many ways, and we're looking at it like the free swing," Kerr said of the play-in before the game. "If we can go get a win tonight, get another crack at it Friday, and we're in the tournament, and then you got a chance, and that's all, that's all you really want."

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Frustrated Mets searching for answers as losing streak reaches eight games

The Mets' losing streak has hit eight games after their 8-2 loss to the Dodgers on Wednesday night.

It was a game filled with the offensive outage that has plagued this team for over a week now, a bullpen implosion and miscues in the field and basepaths that have become daily for this squad after the first 19 games of the season. All of that has led manager Carlos Mendoza, visibly upset, to state the obvious about his team after another lackluster defeat.

"We’re not playing good baseball right now," Mendoza said. "Everybody’s frustrated. We gotta use the off day tomorrow to regroup and get back at it because we gotta get going here. It’s not a good showing right now."

The Mets scored just two runs on five hits -- the second run coming in the ninth inning after the game was well in hand -- on Wednesday night. In the three-game series, New York scored just three runs and collected 12 hits. The Dodgers had 12 hits in Wednesday's game alone.

"I don’t really wrap my mind around it. It’s tough right now," Bo Bichette said of the team's losing streak after the game. "If we knew the answer, we’d do it. But we’ll keep working to try and figure it out."

Bichette, the biggest free agent signing on the offensive side this offseason, went 1-for-4 with a run scored in the series finale. He was just 2-for-11 in the series and is now batting .228 in the early going. But it's not just Bichette. With Juan Soto out with a calf injury, the Mets have simply not been able to get consistent offense.

During the eight-game losing streak, the Mets have scored just 12 runs. They've pushed across more than two runs just once in that span and have been shut out three times. It's something that no one who spoke after Wednesday's loss could understand, let alone explain.

"Guys just have to start playing better. It’s as simple as that," Mendoza said. "They’re too talented. But right now we’re not seeing anything on the field. It has nothing to do with preparation or the work they’re putting in. We just have to go out there and do it."

"I mean, it’s surprising, but you go through these things," Bichette said. "This is a bit extreme, probably, but it doesn’t help facing two of the best in the game the last two days. We could be swinging the bat well and running into [Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani], it’s like running into a buzzsaw. ...I don’t really got much to say other than I can’t explain it and will keep working on it to figure it out."

Clay Holmes, who held the Dodgers lineup to just two runs over five innings on Wednesday, repeatedly said that no one is pointing fingers in the clubhouse and that they all have their part to play in the losing streak. 

"It’s baseball. If we had an answer, we definitely don’t want to be in this spot," Holmes said. "It’s one of those things you go in those stretches where it’s tough. There’s no pointing fingers. Everyone has to take it upon themself to help the team win."

Holmes shared his optimism with the reporters in the clubhouse. When asked what makes him confident that the Mets will turn things around, he said that the players' history of playing well is there.

"What people have done in the past is way better than what we’ve done here," Holmes said. "Can’t just look at the last couple of games and that defines us. These stretches, there’s a history and a future where we know where we can go."

Speaking on the offense specifically, Mendoza explained what is frustrating him the most during this stretch.

"We’re not dictating at-bats," he said. "Getting beat by fastballs even though there was some good fastballs byOhtani today, we swung through a lot of them today. We have to be able to put pressure and be in attack mode. Right now, understanding what guys are going through is contagious. At the same time, nobody is feeling sorry for us. We got to be able to dictate at-bats."

Bichette, who acknowledged that the players are upset by what's going on, echoed what Francisco Lindor said after Tuesday's loss about the offense being more competitive, and perhaps they can use it as a springboard to get back in the win column.

"Last couple of games, we competed a lot better," Bichette said. "At the end of the day, the mindset is to compete, I don’t care what the at-bats look like as long as we’re in there fighting. Two great pitchers that beat us. Obviously, we got to be better. But the commonality is two great pitchers."

The Mets will get a reprieve before starting a three-game series against the Cubs in Chicago on Friday afternoon. New York has played nine straight games and the off day could do the team good. 

But make no mistake, the Mets are not happy with how the early season has gone, and that's exactly what the Mets skipper wants to see.

"They’re pissed. Frustrated. Not happy about it," Mendoza said of the mood of the team. "I want them to be pissed." 

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Chris Paul mocks Clippers with meme after their play-in loss to Warriors

Chris Paul’s return to the L.A. Clippers didn't go the way he expected. He shared his reaction after his former team's disappointing performance in the NBA Play-In Tournament on Wednesday, April 15.

The Clippers parted ways with the 40-year-old guard in December 2025, but Paul clearly has kept his eyes on the team in the months that followed.

He shared a well-known meme of a man dressed for a funeral, in the moments following the Clippers' season-ending 126-121 loss to the Golden State Warriors on April 15.

Paul was officially traded to the Toronto Raptors as part of a three-team trade on Feb. 5. He was waived by the Raptors and retired on Feb. 13. The 12-time All-Star spent 21 years in the NBA, including parts of seven seasons with the Clippers.

He averaged 2.9 points, 3.3 assists and 1.8 rebounds per game in 16 games played this season.

The Clippers finished third in the Pacific Division after closing out the regular season with a 42-40 record.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chris Paul reacts to Clippers' loss to Warriors in NBA Play-In game

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Fantasy Baseball Closer Report: Brewers turn to Abner Uribe, Kenley Jansen moves to third in all-time saves

In this week's Closer Report, the Brewers are moving off of Trevor Megill in the ninth inning and giving Abner Uribe a chance to close out games. Meanwhile, other closers could be on the hot seat as many struggled on the mound, including Jeff Hoffman, who blew his third save in five chances. Let's dive in as we cover the last week in saves around baseball with an updated closer rankings.

⚾️ Baseball is back! MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.

2026 Fantasy Baseball Closer Rankings

▶ Tier 1

Mason Miller - San Diego Padres
Jhoan Duran - Philadelphia Phillies
Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners
Edwin Díaz - Los Angeles Dodgers
Ryan Helsley - Baltimore Orioles

Miller struck out the side on back-to-back days against the Rockies last week, picking up a win on Friday. He then tossed a scoreless inning with one strikeout on Tuesday for his fifth save of the season. It was the first outing in which he did not record multiple strikeouts. Must have been an off night. The 27-year-old right-hander has retired 20 of the 27 batters he has faced for a 74.1% strikeout rate. For reference, Devin Williams holds the highest strikeout rate in a single season at 53% percent during the abbreviated 2020 season.

Duran has been lights out and the easy number two closer through three weeks. He struck out one batter in a clean inning against the Diamondbacks on Saturday for his fifth save. Duran has yet to walk a batter this season while generating an 18.8% swinging-strike rate and a 62.5% ground ball rate. Duran and Miller probably deserve to be in a tier of their own, as they've been the true dominant top closers so far, but we have to keep in mind we're still only three weeks into the season. There's a long way to go.

After not walking any batters across his first four outings, Muñoz worked around a pair of walks in his first two appearances this week, picking up his first save before falling in line for a win against the Astros. But Wednesday night was one to forget. Muñoz came in with a four-run lead in the ninth, a non-save situation, and gave up three runs on four hits and a walk before he was relieved with two outs. The two runners he left on would come in to score, leaving Muñoz with the loss. The 27-year-old right-hander will likely put this one behind him, and there are still very few closers I'd feel better about, but the five earned runs in a non-save outing are tough.

It was a weird week for Díaz as the Dodgers sent mixed signals around his status following his three-run blown save on Friday against the Rangers. There was concern regarding his reduced velocity in the early going, averaging 95.5 mph on the fastball. Díaz stated he felt fine and has generally been a slow starter. Through the first month of 2025, he averaged 96.3 mph. By May, he was throwing 97, and only increased as the season progressed. The team wanted to see Díaz throw a bullpen session before Tuesday's game against the Mets, making him unavailable for the save chance. It was Alex Vesia closing it out by striking out the side to end the game. After, manager Dave Roberts said Díaz checked out fine after the bullpen and should be good to go. Díaz was in fact warming up for the ninth on Wednesday before the Dodgers extended their lead to seven runs in the eighth.

The bounce-back season for Helsley appears to be in effect, as he has been outstanding in the early going. He made three scoreless appearances this week, picking up his fifth save against the Diamondbacks on Monday. He's allowed two runs with an 11/4 K/BB ratio across 7 1/3 innings.

▶ Tier 2

Cade Smith - Cleveland Guardians
Devin Williams - New York Mets
Daniel Palencia - Chicago Cubs
Raisel Iglesias - Atlanta Braves
David Bednar - New York Yankees
Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox

It hasn't been the smoothest start for Smith. After a scoreless appearance on Monday, he gave up one unearned run and was charged with a blown save against the Cardinals. He holds a 5.00 ERA while going 3-for-5 in save chances, but an 11/3 K/BB ratio and solid underlying skills suggest he'll settle in. Still, his lack of track record in the ninth inning, combined with his slow start, doesn't make fantasy managers comfortable early on after taking him as a top-five closer, sometimes as high as top-three.

Williams hadn't made an appearance in a week before taking the mound down by two runs in the eighth inning against the Dodgers on Wednesday. These non-save situations after a long layoff could tend to end poorly, as it did for Williams. He gave up four runs on a grand slam and only recorded one out. All you can do is hold steady and practice patience. The same can be said for Palencia, who still has only one save on the year across five scoreless innings. He did pick up a win against the Pirates on Sunday.

Iglesias has silenced any preseason skeptics so far, tossing 6 2/3 scoreless innings with a 7/0 K/BB ratio, generating an impressive 17.2% swinging-strike rate. He struck out two in a scoreless inning against the Marlins on Tuesday for his third save of the season.

Bednar's velocity is another one to watch. He's made just one clean appearance while giving up one run in four of his seven outings. Bednar was charged with a blown save and a loss on Saturday against the Rays. He's averaged 95.8 mph on the fastball so far, down from 97.1 mph. Unlike Díaz, Bednar's velocity was flat across the entire 2025 season, starting and ending at 97 mph.

Chapman's velocity was also down a tick early on. He had just three strikeouts over his first five innings of work. That was until Tuesday, when he sat 98.9 mph and struck out the side in a scoreless inning against the Twins.

▶ Tier 3

Riley O'Brien - St. Louis Cardinals
Jeff Hoffman - Toronto Blue Jays
Kenley Jansen - Detroit Tigers
Paul Sewald - Arizona Diamondbacks
Emilio Pagán - Cincinnati Reds
Abner Uribe - Milwaukee Brewers
Seranthony Domínguez - Chicago White Sox
Pete Fairbanks - Miami Marlins

O'Brien continued his strong start to the season, picking up two saves and a win. The 31-year-old right-hander has emerged as a reliable save source, tossing 10 1/3 scoreless innings with an 11/0 K/BB ratio with five saves. He's generated an incredible 73.9% ground ball rate to go with the zero walks. That'll work. I'm buying into this start for O'Brien.

This is where things get tough. Hoffman hasn't had the best results, but the strikeout skills have been outstanding. He's accumulated 18 strikeouts on a 23.1% swinging-strike rate. The problem has been a higher walk rate and an incredibly unlucky .529 BABIP. It's led to three blown saves in five chances. Hoffman should get the opportunity to see his fortunes turn in the ninth inning, but if the team wanted to give him a break from closing, Louis Varland would be next in line. He hasn't allowed an earned run over 10 1/3 innings while striking out 15 batters to just three walks.

Jansen worked four scoreless appearances this week, picking up three saves to give him 480 for his career, moving him ahead of Lee Smith for third all-time. He's off to a good start with the Tigers, striking out seven with one run allowed over 4 2/3 innings. Jansen was sure to get every save chance until he moved ahead in the history books. It seems manager A.J. Hinch will be content keeping Jansen in the ninth, where he's comfortable, even after surpassing Lee.

Sewald had a big week on the mound, locking down three saves for the Diamondbacks. The 35-year-old right-hander is up to six saves with a 2.45 ERA, 0.55 WHIP, and a 10/0 K/BB ratio across 7 1/3 innings. He's doing it without conventional closer stuff, with a 91.7 mph fastball. It's a profile that typically comes with volatility, though excellent control does help. You have to love the value and continue taking his production as long as he's effective.

Pagán worked two scoreless outings, making that six scoreless since his four-run appearance on April 1. Yet, he still carries a 4.82 ERA. He locked down his fifth save with a clean inning against the Giants on Tuesday. Pagán seemed to hobble off the mound following his final pitch in that game. He reportedly felt his hamstring tighten up, but played catch with no issues on Wednesday, adding that he "dodged a bullet". Still, it could be something to monitor over his next few outings. If Pagán were to reaggravate the hamstring issue, Tony Santillan would stand to see some save chances.

Trevor Megill surrendered four runs and failed to record an out against the Nationals on Friday. He then got a save chance against the Blue Jays on Tuesday and gave up three more runs. With that, manager Pat Murphy stated the team will need to move from Megill in the ninth for the time being. The team saw another save chance on Wednesday, and it was Uribe who got the nod. He struck out one in a clean inning to come away with his first save. Uribe hasn't been off to the best start himself, but has the most upside after posting a 1.67 ERA and 90 strikeouts over 75 1/3 innings last season, ending the year with seven saves, filling in for an injured Megill. If Uribe is available, he should be a priority add for any teams looking for saves.

Domínguez worked two save chances this week, converting both while striking out two batters each time out. He's yet to work a clean outing, giving up two runs and four hits with a 7/4 K/BB ratio across 5 2/3 innings. That'll be the Domíguez experience all season as he generally runs high walk rates. But he has a decent leash on the closer role as long as he's getting the job done.

Fairbanks made his first appearance since taking a few days off on the paternity list. He had given up three runs as the opener the last time out, then gave up another three runs in the eighth inning against the Braves on Tuesday to get charged with a blown save and a loss.

▶ Tier 4

Lucas Erceg - Kansas City Royals
Bryan Baker - Tampa Bay Rays
Jakob Junis - Texas Rangers
Jordan Romano - Los Angeles Angels
Ryan Walker/Keaton Winn - San Francisco Giants
Dennis Santana/Gregory Soto - Pittsburgh Pirates
Bryan King/Bryan Abreu/Enyel De Los Santos - Houston Astros

Erceg worked two clean innings this week to convert a pair of saves. He's up to five since stepping in for Carlos Estévez. It's come with just a 4/2 K/BB ratio across 6 2/3 innings and a 4.1% swinging-strike rate. That's not exactly shutdown stuff.

Baker worked around two hits to convert a save against the Yankees on Friday, then surrendered the lead in the eighth with two runs allowed on Saturday. He then stepped in for the final out against the White Sox on Tuesday for his third save. Baker continues to be the preferred option in the ninth for the Rays, but Edwin Uceta could factor into the mix once he's activated from the injured list.

Junis emerged from the Rangers' situation last week with a pair of saves, then converted his third against the Dodgers on Sunday. He's another one that I don't really trust to hold the job all year with his current skillset, but he's the current go-to option for manager Skip Schumaker.

Any one of these relievers could have a week like Romano just had, which brings their role into question. Romano blew two save chances against the Yankees over the last three days, giving up five total runs. He's still likely to see the next save chance, but you have to wonder if Kirby Yates will be given a shot to claim the job once he's ready to be activated.

The Giants have still only had one traditional save chance on the season, converted by Walker on March 30. Since then, he's made his last four appearances before the ninth inning with mixed results. Meanwhile, Winn has impressed with a 32% strikeout rate behind an 18.2% swinging-strike rate. The next ninth-inning save chance should be telling.

Santana picked up two saves this week. He's yet to allow a run over nine innings, but it's come with an uninspiring 6/4 K/BB ratio. Soto, meanwhile, has collected 15 strikeouts over 9 2/3 innings of work and should remain in the mix for matchup-based save chances against a lefty-heavy lineup.

As Bryan Abreu works some middle relief as he figures things out, King got the chance to close out the game against the Rockies on Tuesday. Though he was asked to record five outs when he entered the game with two runners on and one out in the eighth. He got out of the jam and returned for the ninth before letting two runners on with two outs. De Los Santos then recorded the final out for the save. After a taxing day for King, De Los Santos got the ninth inning again on Wednesday and converted his second save, with Abreu recording four outs as the setup man in what was his best outing of the season. It seems this will be a committee until either Abreu returns to form or Josh Hader returns from the injured list, set for sometime in May.

▶ Tier 5

Cole Sands/Taylor Rogers/Justin Topa - Minnesota Twins
Victor Vodnik - Colorado Rockies
Clayton Beeter/Gus Varland - Washington Nationals
Hogan Harris/Mark Leiter Jr./Joel Kuhnel - Athletics

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Mariners snatch defeat from jaws of victory, lose walkoff to Padres 7-6

Apr 15, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill celebrates after hitting a walk-off double during the ninth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Petco Park. All MLB players are wearing number 42 today to honor Jackie Robinson. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

We’re all still trying to figure out what went wrong in a game that the Mariners were winning handily for eight innings. Emerson Hancock was brilliant, giving up just one two-run homer over six innings of work. Luke Raley had his first ever four-hit game, and made a nifty catch in the outfield to boot. The Mariners did strike out double-digits (12), but also recorded double-digit hits (10) and took seven walks. And all of it didn’t matter, because the bullpen allowed a five-run inning in the ninth and the Padres walked it off, 7-6. The Mariners have now lost seven straight games on the road. They are back to three games below .500 after getting tantalizingly close to a winning record for the first time since March 30th. The good vibes, which roared to life after a four-game sweep against the Astros, are once again on life support.

Seriously, what the heck?

Things started off so well. Emerson Hancock was again fantastic, working through the sixth inning with the only damage against him a two-run homer from the impossibly hot-hitting Xander Bogaerts (also the only Padres hitter who had homered off Hancock previously). Hancock was untouchable over the first half of his outing, no-hitting the Padres the first time through the order before giving up a base hit to Bogaerts, who had two of the four hits the Padres mustered off Hancock. Hancock owned the strike zone tonight, throwing 20 of 23 first-pitch strikes and constantly working ahead of hitters, finishing with six strikeouts to just one walk. There were a couple of those wonky sweepers that strayed too far from the zone, but he also collected three of his six strikeouts on the pitch. He pounded the bottom of the zone with the sinker and sweeper, but also successfully changed hitters’ eye levels with his four-seamer up, staying out of the meaty part of the zone. It was a stellar performance from Hancock on Jackie Robinson Day; the two happen to share a hometown (Cairo, Georgia).

That is the story that should be told about this game – that and the performance of the offense, which scored six runs for Hancock. Dominic Canzone got the Mariners on the board in the second, as the scalding-hot Randy-Raley duo got on base (Arozarena with another walk, Luke with a nice single on a changeup); Canzone then torched the hardest-hit ball the Mariners have had all season, a 114 mph laser line drive that hit the foul pole that’s in play for some reason and rolled away from a bewildered-looking Nick Castellanos.

The Mariners could have gotten more in the third – Cal Raleigh recorded hit #500, a double, and then Jackson Merrill robbed Julio of a home run over the center field wall. Payback for all the homers Julio has robbed, I guess, but it sure feels unfair, especially considering how this game ended.

But the Mariners were only temporarily discouraged. The patience the hitters showed in the Astros series returned with a vengeance in the third; Cole Young and Leo Rivas both worked two-out walks, loading the bases (Randy had led off the inning with a double). The Rivas walk was especially impressive, as Rivas challenged a strike three call on a pitch clearly inside. That set up Brendan Donovan, who got himself into a hitter-friendly 2-0 count before lacing a ball through the right side of the infield for another two runs.

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Cal Raleigh also worked a walk that inning, as the Mariners pushed Padres starter Randy Vásquez to 85 pitches in the fourth. Not that the Padres bullpen is any walk in the park, but after needing to use their leverage arms last night, that set up the Mariners well – something Luke Raley took advantage of against new pitcher Ron Marinaccio in the fifth, walloping this no-doubter two-run homer (scoring Randy, once again on in scoring position thanks to a single and a stolen base, his fifth already of the year).

This would also be a nice story to tell about this game: Luke Raley, risen from the specter of injury that haunted his 2025, hitting a new career milestone, on a night when his buddy Cal Raleigh also hit a career milestone and his other new buddy Brendan Donovan knocked in two runs of his own. A real power of friendship recap.

But unfortunately, it’s not the one we can tell, because the ninth inning happened. Backing up, because again, we’re all still trying to figure out what happened here: Eduard Bazardo pitched a perfect seventh inning, and Gabe Speier handled the eighth. Dan Wilson then called for Andrés Muñoz to come in for the ninth in a non-save situation. Muñoz hasn’t looked right this year, seemingly struggling with his slider command, but has managed to scrape out of some sticky situations. There would be no scraping out tonight, unless it was the scraping out of my eyeballs with a melon baller after watching the bottom of the ninth.

To be fair to Muñoz, he suffered some bad batted-ball luck, although he didn’t help himself out by walking Manny Machado to lead off the inning. Gavin Sheets then snuck a ball past Donovan at third, putting runners on at second and third with no one out. Muñoz was able to get Nick Castellanos swinging after a slider for the first out, but then suffered more bad luck on a Baltimore chop from Ty France that Muñoz couldn’t field cleanly, loading the bases and bringing up the tying run in the form of pinch-hitter Fernando Tatís. Tatís hit a sac fly, bringing in a run.

Okay. Not ideal, but okay. Two outs, still a three-run lead, an out at any base but third, and the nine-hole hitter coming up. But despite getting Luis Campusano in an 0-2 count, Muñoz went back to the slider for a third time and hung it, allowing a hard-hit single and turning over the lineup. It wasn’t a scoring play, but in retrospect, this was probably the breaking point of this game. Ramón Laureano would then hit another single, yanking a good pitch inside for a single because that’s what Laureano does, setting up the wunderkind Jackson Merrill for a walkoff winner off new pitcher Jose Ferrer. We can heap a little fault on Ferrer, even with Muñoz taking the loss, for going to the sinker for a third straight pitch in a 2-2 count and failing to put away his lefty hitter, and maybe to Randy Arozarena for dropping the transfer on Merrill’s double, eliminating any play at the plate (merciful, some might say, the some being recap writers), but this mess was of Muñoz’s doing. It’s the worst solution to a mystery story I didn’t want to write in the first place. Here’s hoping for a happier story next time.

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Warriors win wild play-in game vs. Clippers to advance to play Suns

INGLEWOOD — For one reason or another, neither team inside the Intuit Dome for the Western Conference’s bottom play-in game expected to be there.

In the end, a Warriors team decimated by injuries will get another chance at the unlikeliest of playoff berths. On the other side, a Clippers team that started the year 6-21 and surrounded by off-the-court controversy had its season come to an end Wednesday in a 126-121 loss to Golden State in a Western Conference play-in game.

Both teams understood they would have the longest of shots this postseason, but those slim odds — a chance to play meaningful basketball — are exactly what Steph Curry worked his way back from a persistent knee injury to experience again.

Curry made the most of it, with 35 points in 36 minutes. Kristaps Porzingis and Gui Santos added 20 apiece, and Golden State limited Kawhi Leonard to 21 points in 40 minutes.

The Clippers’ backcourt of Darius Garland and Benedict Mathurin torched the Warriors for a combined 44 points — a team-high 23 from Mathurin, 15 in the second half — but they allowed a double-digit fourth quarter lead to slip away into the grasp of the championship pedigree on the other side.

With four late 3s in quick succession from Al Horford, the Warriors were able to withstand 20 turnovers that turned into 35 Clippers points, seven more points left at the foul line and a series of illegal screens that wiped out more points, left coach Steve Kerr incensed and led to a technical foul on Draymond Green.

Steph Curry had with 35 points in 36 minutes. AP
Curry was held to eight points and 2-of-9 shooting in the first half, but exploded for 16 in the third quarter. NBAE via Getty Images

Green forced a pair of turnovers on Leonard to seal the game in the final minute. It took that long for the Warriors to grab their largest lead of the game after playing from behind for most of the game.

Los Angeles led by double digits with 9:35 to play and didn’t relinquish its lead until Horford connected on his fourth 3-pointer to put Golden State up 117-115 for its first lead since early in the second quarter.

What it means

The game came down to who had the better duo.

Curry and Porzingis proved to be more powerful than Leonard and Garland.

The win was the Warriors’ first against the Clippers in Los Angeles since Nov. 28, 2021, snapping a nine-game road losing streak that was Golden State’s longest against a single opponent in Kerr’s 12 seasons.

The Clippers can book their cabanas in Cabo. The Warriors are making travel plans for Phoenix, where they will face a second win-or-go-home play-in game against the No. 7 seed Suns.

Turning point

Garland helped the Clippers race out to an early 12-2 lead with eight of his 21 points coming in the first quarter. Los Angeles extended its lead as wide as 13, but the Warriors never went away. All the while, they were waiting for a patented Curry flurry.

It began midway through the third quarter.

Curry, held to eight points and 2-of-9 shooting in the first half, exploded for 16 in the third quarter. Curry turned a dribble handoff from Draymond Green into a four-point play, pulled up from 30 feet and sank another from distance after crossing over his defender.

The win was the Warriors’ first against the Clippers in Los Angeles since Nov. 28, 2021. NBAE via Getty Images

Curry gave the Warriors hope.

Horford finished the job.

Golden State limited Kawhi Leonard to 21 points in 40 minutes. AP

MVP: Steph Curry

Curry was unstoppable when it mattered most.

On top of his 16 in the third, he added another 12 in the fourth for 26 after halftime.

Stat of the game: 13-for-21

It was a tale of two halves for the Warriors beyond the 3-point line.

They were held to 30% — 6-for-20 — in the first half. As Curry, Horford and Porzingis took over in the second half, Golden State made 13 of 21 attempts from beyond the perimeter.

Up next

The Clippers’ season is over, putting an end to the most dramatic turnaround in NBA history. The Warriors, meanwhile, are on to Phoenix. They will play the Suns on Friday night for the chance to head to Oklahoma City as the No. 8 seed for a first-round matchup with the defending champion Thunder.

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Not done yet! Steph Curry lifts Warriors past Clippers in incredible comeback win

Golden State Warriors Steph Curry dribbles against the Clippers
INGLEWOOD, CA - APRIL 15: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors dribbles the ball during the game against the LA Clippers during the SoFi Play-In Tournament on April 15, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Golden State Warriors injury mired, frustrating season isn’t over yet. Despite a 13-point fourth quarter deficit, the Dubs defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 126-121 and will play the Phoenix Suns for the eighth-seed in the Western Conference. It would be easy to argue that the Clippers were the better team on Wednesday night, leading for most of the game. But they didn’t have Steph Curry.

It would also be easy to argue that Dub Nation would have felt relief for this season to finally be over. The Warriors were disappointing early and mired in drama. Then, they faced an avalanche of injuries just as they seemed to be hitting their stride. There are no logical championship hopes left. Why keep trudging through the muck?

Yet the end to a season, even a disappointing one, only brings Steph Curry’s career closer to an end. It’s why he worked so hard to return from his injury even as the Dubs fell in the standings. We all got to see his magic on display Wednesday because he refused to quit.

Curry had the basketball world transfixed once again. Steph has done it over and over since he first burst onto the scene at Davidson back in 2008. No matter how dark or distracted NBA fandom can be by discourse and debates, nothing has unified everyone for more than a decade than Steph Curry with a basketball in his hands dancing on defenses.

The Warriors victory gifts us all a chance to maybe see a couple more moments like that from Steph this season.

Curry finished with 35 points on 12-for-23 shooting from the field (7-for-12 from three). He was 10-for-14 with 27 points in the second half alone. Despite some ugly moments, Gui Santos finished with 20 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and a game-high +16 plus/minus. Al Horford and Kristaps Porziņģis were the most important offensive sidekicks for Steph, though. Porziņģis recorded 20 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks, and a steal. Horford had 14 critical points.

Benedict Mathurin led the Clippers with 23 points in 29 minutes, and was perhaps underutilized attacking weaker defenders. Kawhi Leonard finished with 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists, but committed 5 turnovers and made just one shot in the fourth quarter.

Golden State got off to a horrendous start, particularly offensively. The Clippers unsurprisingly did everything possible to force the ball out of Curry’s hands early and the strategy paid off. The Dubs fell behind 12-2 and would not lead in the quarter.

The Warriors were similarly quick to try and force the ball out of their opponent’s best offensive player’s hands. However, Leonard found his footing quicker and had a supporting cast seemingly more ready for the moment. At the end of the first quarter, the Clippers led 31-22.

Porziņģis chose an opportune time to have his best performance since Steph’s return. The center led a 13-0 Warriors run with Curry on the bench to put Golden State ahead. The lead would not last for long, but it did help the Dubs continue to bide their time.

Steph finished the first half with just 8 points on 2-for-9 shooting from the field alongside 0 rebounds or assists. The fact that Golden State only trailed 61-53 was a sign that the Clippers were wasting opportunities.

The Warriors lack of athleticism and offensive creators was on full display against the Clippers length. At times, Santos looked overwhelmed in his first prolonged playoff-adjacent rotation minutes. Santos, De’Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II, and Brandin Podziemski all had uncharacteristic drops and made poor passing decisions. As a team, the Dubs committed 20 turnovers.

Yet, Draymond Green’s defensive effort was the Warriors savior. Leonard capitalized whenever he could get off Green, but Draymond kept the Clippers from every building enough offensive momentum to pull away.

Golden State also targeted Darius Garland, the Clippers dynamic point guard, on defense. He picked up his fifth foul in the third quarter. While he did not foul out until the game was largely decided, his weak defense was made even worse as he tried to avoid fouling out.

It seemed like every time the Warriors pulled within five points, the Clippers answered.

Curry exploded for 16 points in the third quarter, but Los Angeles remained largely in control.

Porziņģis converted an and-one and a deep transition three on back-to-back possessions to cut the deficit to three, but Garland responded with an and-one and a step-back three to bring the lead back to 10.

The Clippers started the fourth quarter ahead by six and immediately went on a 5-0 run. A timely basket from Melton and a three from Santos successfully kept things from getting out of hand. A one-man press from Payton forced a Clippers turnover with 9:27 left in regulation, and Curry checked back in trialing 98-88. On his first possession, he knocked down an open three.

Then Horford emerged for his first signature moment in a Warriors uniform. The future Hall of Famer entered the game with 6:36 left in regulation. The Clippers led 108-99.

Horford made threes on three consecutive possessions. Two minutes later, Horford made his fourth triple of the quarter to give put Golden State ahead 117-115, giving the Warriors their first lead in the second half.

The good news came with some bad, however. Draymond seemed to hyperextend his knee on the next possession. As Brook Lopez went to the free-throw line (where he’d tie the game at 117), Green quickly hobbled to the bench, stretched, and insisted on playing through the pain.

Curry missed a three, but the Warriors forced a stop at the other end to give him another opportunity to break the tie. Leonard would not score in the fourth quarter, save for a mostly-meaningless bucket in the closing seconds, almost entirely thanks to Green.

Curry and Green ran a two-man game as the clock ticked under a minute remaining. Curry tossed the ball to Draymond before faking a cut and spinning around his longest-tenured teammate. Green knew what Steph wanted, left him the ball and Steph shot over two desperately chasing Clippers for a three.

The Warriors led 120-117 with 50.7 seconds left in regulation.

The Clippers called timeout, but that let the Warriors setup defensively. Draymond denied an in-bound pass to Leonard and his steal setup Podziemski for an and-one layup on the other end.

Golden State had it’s largest lead of the night (123-117) and Green stole the ball from Leonard again. Steph drew a foul and split the free throws to go ahead by 7. Green continued to lock down defensively and forced the Clippers to burn precious clock. They got a layup, but it was too much too late.

Somehow.

Someway.

The Warriors had won.

But we know the how and the way.

It was Steph Curry with enough scoring punch from his teammates and Draymond Green’s legendary defense.

It may not lead to a title, but don’t let that spoil the fun.

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Too much Steph Curry as Clippers' season comes to end with play-in loss to Warriors

INGLEWOOD, CA - APRIL 15: LA Clippers guard Kris Dunn (8) swipes for the ball while Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) drives to the basket against guard Darius Garland (10) during the fourth quarter of an NBA play-in-tournament at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Stephen Curry drives against Darius Garland, left, and Kris Dunn of the Clippers. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

It was do or die Wednesday night at Intuit Dome, and the Clippers did not do enough to keep their season alive, blowing a 13-point lead early in the fourth quarter and losing to the Golden State Warriors, 126-121.

Having rebounded from a franchise-worst 6-21 start to earn the next-to-last berth in the NBA play-in tournament, coach Tyronn Lue’s resilient bunch could not extend its historic comeback on its home floor.

Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 35 points, Kristaps Porzingis and and Gui Santos each had 20, and Brandin Podziemski added 17. The Warriors were 19 for 41 from three-point range, with Al Horford hitting four in the fourth quarter.

Bennedict Mathurin scored 23 points off the bench, while Kawhi Leonard and Darius Garland each added 21 points for the Clippers, who won three of the teams’ four regular-season meetings, including a 115-110 victory in the same arena four days earlier. Wednesday night, however, Leonard was held scoreless in the fourth quarter until the final seconds as the Warriors rallied.

"It happens, we’ve won games like that before, we’ve lost games like that before,” Leonard said. "They played great defense, they won the game. They deserve it. They scored 43 points in the fourth quarter.” 

Garland, a point guard acquired from the Cleveland Cavaliers at the trade deadline in exchange for James Harden, contributed mightily to the team’s late-season surge but picked up his fifth foul with 2:51 left in the third quarter and fouled out with 50 seconds left in the fourth. 

“It came down to contested threes and not a lot of good possessions for us... in the end No.30 did what 30 does,” he said, referring to Curry. “It was fun for the time I’ve been here. To be in the play-in game is a credit to this group and the coaching staff. This isn’t the way we wanted to end the season, but this group is amazing and everybody wants to win. The championship pedigree they have over there shined through.” 

The Clippers got off to a hot start, scoring 12 straight points to take a 10-point lead 3:19 into the game, but Golden State used a 12-2 run of its own to tie it and took a 17-16 lead on Curry’s first three-pointer with 5:07 left in the first. A 15-5 run put the Clippers back up 31-22 at the end of the quarter.

Stephen Curry falls to the court to grab a loose ball against Clippers Bennedict Mathurin and Kris Dunn in the third quarter.
Stephen Curry falls to the court to grab a loose ball against Clippers Bennedict Mathurin and Kris Dunn in the third quarter. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Porzingis’ three-pointer from the top of the key put the Warriors in front early in the second quarter, but the Clippers closed the first half with a flourish. The Warriors' Draymond Green got assessed a technical foul, and Leonard made the ensuing free throw to give his team a 10-point lead with 3:24 left; the Clippers headed to the locker room ahead 61-53.

Back-to-back buckets by Derrick Jones Jr. pushed the Clippers’ lead back to 10 points with 7:48 left in the third quarter, but again the proud Warriors responded with eight straight points by Curry, including a rare four-point play, to pull within four. The Clippers pushed the lead back to 11 before Golden State used a 5-0 run to creep within 89-83 heading to the fourth quarter.

Porzingis’ three-pointer whittled the Warriors' deficit down to three with 8:16 left, but Garland’s three-pointer pushed the margin back to nine with 6:36 left. Horford’s final three gave the Warriors a 117-115 lead with 2:12 left. Brook Lopez hit a pair of free throws to tie it with 1:51 left, but Curry, as he has done so many times in his career, sank a three-pointer to put his team up 120-117 with 50 seconds remaining. Green, guarding Leonard, then tipped away the Clippers' inbounds pass out of a timeout, and Podziemski drove for a three-point play as the visitors hung on.

"We turned the ball over 18 times for 23 points and we can’t do that,” Lue said. “Horford made some big shots to get them back in the game. We had the game in our hands and made silly plays. To be up 13 with 10 minutes left… we have to finish that game.”

Kawhi Leonard walks off the court after the Clippers' season-ending loss.
Kawhi Leonard walks off the court after the Clippers' season-ending loss. He was held scoreless in the fourth until the final seconds. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

The Clippers had won nine consecutive home games against Golden State, their longest active home winning streak against a conference opponent. The Warriors had last beat the Clippers in Los Angeles on Nov. 28, 2021 at Staples Center, then their home arena. 

The Warriors’ reward is a flight to Phoenix where they will take on the Suns in a Friday night matchup to decide the eighth and final playoff seed in the Western Conference. The Suns had a chance to clinch the No. 7 seed Monday but lost at home to Portland, 114-110. Should the Warriors prevail they will meet No. 1-seeded and defending champion Oklahoma City in a best-of-seven series opening Sunday on the road.

Steve Kerr, who has coached Golden State to four NBA championships in 12 seasons, stated before the game that his team was ready for the challenge — and it was. 

“We have a lot of veteran guys who have been through big moments,” Kerr said. "It’s the exact same vibe as any other elimination game — you have to be locked in. We’re aware that this is an opportunity we may not get again, we don’t know. The first year [of the play-in] we were the eighth seed and I hated it. This year we’re 10th and I love it. I think it’s good for the league.”  

After their disastrous start the Clippers went 36-19 the rest of the way and became the first team in NBA history to dip 15 games below .500 and finish with a winning record. Leonard played 65 games and averaged a career-best 27.9 points, however Wednesday’s loss was a bitter pill to swallow. 

"They had a great game plan, being physical all game and making sure I don’t get my catch-and-shoot shots,” Leonard said. "Draymond Green is a Hall of Fame defender — it was hard to get shots. I’m not used to losing a lot of games early in the season. We could’ve easily let go of the rope but we made strides and the eight seed was right there, but in the end it wasn’t good enough."

Entering the last year of a three-year contract, Leonard was asked if he wanted to remain with the Clippers.

"I’m going to cry about this loss a little more and we’ll have our discussions when the time comes.” he said.

The Clippers dropped to 6-8 all-time in the postseason against the Warriors. Lopez had 17 points, Derrick Jones Jr. had 13, John Collins had 11 and Kris Dunn had seven points and 10 assists.  

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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A’s out-hit Rangers in 6-5 victory

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 15: Shea Langeliers #23 of the Athletics hits a two-run home run against the Texas Rangers in the bottom of the six inning at Sutter Health Park on April 15, 2026 in Sacramento, California. All players are wearing the #42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images

On Jackie Robinson Day, it would be the A’s who’d strike first. Tyler Soderstrom’s opposite field double brought home Carlos Cortes.

This would be the first time in 2026 that the A’s filled the box score in the first inning. They were the only team who hadn’t done so this season.

Off the bat, it kind’ve looked like Ezequiel Durán had the play but he’d lose it on the jump at the warning track. A quick recovery from the Rangers’ left fielder prevented Soderstrom from advancing any further than second base. The A’s would strand him there to end the first inning.

In the top of the second, A’s starter J.T. Ginn was able to escape a little drama. A trio of walks loaded the bases but no damage was done, thanks to Joc Pederson striking out and Danny Jensen hitting into a double play.

Ginn doesn’t have the greatest track record against Texas. Yes, he secured the last ever win in Oakland against them back in 2024, but last season, in just around twenty innings against the Rangers, he offered up six home runs in around twenty innings!

He’d serve up another to shortstop Corey Seager in the third inning. After the A’s added a little insurance on a Denzel Clarke RBI single, Seager and the Rangers tied it right back up on a no doubter to deep right field.

From there, we’d find ourselves in a bit of a pitcher’s duel. Rangers starter Kumar Rocker provided a wipeout slider that had A’s batters struggling to resist, while the signature J.T. Ginn sinker kept the Rangers on the ground floor.

After a slight lull, Shea Langeliers would get ahold of one, ripping it down the third base line for a lead off double in the bottom of the fifth. Now this is where you could feel the A’s getting to Rocker. They had him on the ropes. A mound visit was called on Rocker’s behalf, after his walk to Tyler Soderstrom. He’d get Jacob Wilson to line out to Ezequiel Durán but that would be it for the big right-hander. His day would be over after 4.2 innings pitched, 4 hits, 2 ER, 4 BB, and 6Ks on 97 pitches. Lefty Jalen Beeks would be brought in to replace him. Despite walking Jeff McNeil to load the bases, he’d get out of the jam by striking out Max Muncy to end the inning.

What’s frustrating about THIS particular Muncy strikeout is that not only were the bases juiced, but he had a 3-1 count on Beeks when he decided to go hunting for a fastball up and out of the zone.

Ginn’s day would wrap up not too far behind Rocker’s. He’d give the ball to Hogan Harris after a one out single by Wyatt Langford. No damage done by the Rangers though as Harris was able to shut down Monday’s player of the game in Jake Burger.

Now we have to talk about Nick Kurtz.

In the bottom of the 6th, Kurtz came up to the plate with Lawrence Butler on second base. What did he do in this at-bat? Strikeout on a fastball right down the middle. His third of the game up to this point and quite frankly, a telling K. I know it’s early and we don’t want to have the conversation yet, but can we at least admit that Kurtz has not been the player we’ve needed him to be? His hitting woes actually run through the spring, where in 21 games he hit only .201 with 16Ks. In fact, if you go back to his performance at the end of last season, you’ll find that his September numbers took a noticeable dip. His slash in the final month was actually his worst. Even weaker than the April/May campaign that he was criticized for having.

So what do we make of Kurtz’s struggles? If we find ourselves in a similar situation by June, could a trip to AAA a la Lawrence Butler in 2024 be appropriate?

While you think on that, watch this…

Just like that the A’s were back in possession of the lead. According to statcast, Shea’s homer traveled 467 ft! At this time, that’s the longest home run of the 2026 season.

Jacob Wilson must’ve been jealous of how cool Shea Langeliers looked in the new elephant mask, because he’d send one for a ride in the bottom of the 7th.

But what would a middle of the week A’s game be without a little drama? Kotsay went to Mark Leiter Jr. in the top of the 8th and that third out just felt out of reach the entire time. He’d toss one Jake Burger’s way, who’d clobber it deep to left field for a three-run home run.

You thought a 6-2 lead in the 8th was safe? This is the 2026 A’s we’re talking about! They better keep hitting and hitting until the game’s over or their season will be over before playoffs begin in October.

Fortunately for us A’s fans, that would be the extent of it for the evening. Joel Kuhnel came in after Leiter Jr. and continued to pitch like he wants his own designated seat in the bullpen. There’s something very Kenley Jansen-esque in Kuhnel’s delivery that makes me feel safe. Sometimes all you need in the back end of the bullpen is a big boy with a cutter.

He’d get Andrew Mccutchen to strikeout to end the ball game. Kuhnel’s third save of the season and the first four-out save of his career.

It wasn’t an easy win but no one said it was going to be. For the first time since the 2021 season, the A’s are alone atop the American League West division. Tomorrow they’ll return, looking to take their fourth straight series win, their second of the year against a division rival, and hopefully the first quality start for Jacob Lopez in 2026.

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Senators Head Into Playoffs At Carolina After Another Victory Over Toronto

The Ottawa Senators polished off their 2025-26 NHL regular season with a 3-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night at Canadian Tire Centre. The game meant nothing in the standings, but as any Senators fan will tell you, there’s never a bad time to beat the Leafs.

Drake Batherson, Warren Foegele, Dylan Cozens had the goals for Ottawa, while Claude Giroux added two assists and James Reimer made 19 saves. The Senators went 2-for-3 on the power play and outshot the Leafs, 38-20.

The Senators got the victory, despite resting five of their top players, including Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stützle, Michael Amadio, Thomas Chabot, and Jake Sanderson.

They also had nothing to play for.

“I think since we found out who we’re playing in the first round, most of us are just thinking about that, to be honest,” Batherson said. “Obviously, you want to go out there and play well, but it’s tough when you know this weekend you’re playing Game 1.”

William Nylander had the lone goal for Toronto, pulling the Leafs within one midway through the third before Cozens sealed it with an empty-netter on a 2 on 0. He dished the puck off to Shane Pinto to score on the empty net, but Pinto gave it right back to him. 

The Senators finish the regular season with 99 points. The last time they hit that mark was 2015, the year of the famous Hamburglar run. The last time they surpassed the 99-point mark was in 2007, when they advanced all the way to the Stanley Cup Final for the only time in their history so far.

Despite missing the final two games, Stützle led the team offensively with 34 goals, 49 assists, and 83 points. Having just turned 24 in January, he's only now entering his prime.

Ottawa may not have a 100-point scorer, but they boasted a fine balanced attack this season, with 13 different players recording 30 or more points.

Toronto, meanwhile, closes out the season on a five-game losing streak, finishing the season 21 points behind the Senators. A disappointing campaigfn after winning the Atlantic Division last year.

As for the Senators, they head to the postseason once again, set to face the Carolina Hurricanes, the top seed in the Eastern Conference. It marks the first ever playoff meeting between the two franchises.

Games 1 and 2 will be played in Raleigh, with dates and time still to be announced. We do know that some of the Stanley Cup Playoff series are set to begin as early as Saturday night. 

Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference, the Boston Bruins will open in Buffalo against the Sabres, the Montreal Canadiens will visit the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Philadelphia Flyers will take on the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Full schedule details are expected to be released Thursday.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News

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Mets hit new low as disastrous losing skid hits eight games after getting walloped by Dodgers

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Shohei Ohtani, who held the Amazin's to one run over six innings, pumps his fist during the second inning of the Mets' 8-2 blowout loss to the Dodgers on April 15, 2026 at Dodgers Stadium, Image 2 shows Francisco Lindor at bat for the New York Mets

LOS ANGELES — One dreadful plate appearance after another, the Mets got swept out to the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday and sank to the bottom.

Is this it? Is this rock bottom? It’s a question the Mets must ask with each new loss, hopeful for some ray of sunshine on which to latch.

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Here’s one: They are finished with this series against the Dodgers. But maybe that’s not enough for this listless bunch.

Another night of offensive futility left the Mets with an 8-2 loss at Dodger Stadium that ran their losing streak to eight games. This was the seventh time during that stretch the Mets scored two runs or fewer.

“Everybody is upset,” Bo Bichette said. “You know why.”

It’s not just scoring: The Mets simply aren’t getting hits. They collected only five on this night and finished with 12 in the three-game series.

Shohei Ohtani was the chief tormentor Wednesday, pitching six dominant innings. A night earlier the Mets were stifled by Yoshinobu Yamamoto over 7 ²/₃ innings.

Shohei Ohtani, who held the Amazin’s to a run over six innings, pumps his fist during the second inning of the Mets’ 8-2 blowout loss to the Dodgers on April 15, 2026 at Dodgers Stadium. Getty Images

“It’s surprising, but you go through these things,” Bichette said. “This is a bit extreme, probably, but it doesn’t help facing two of the best in the game the last two days.”

This one turned into a runaway late, with the Dodgers receiving two homers — including a grand slam from Dalton Rushing against Devin Williams — in the eighth inning.

Clay Holmes, who departed his previous start with left hamstring tightness, gave the Mets a chance by allowing two earned runs on four hits and one walk over five innings. He was removed after 88 pitches.

“It’s one of those things where I don’t think you look around and point fingers,” Holmes said of the losing streak. “It’s not just the offense. Sometimes it’s going to happen and as pitchers we have got to be better and win games. Tonight I wasn’t good enough. You have got to look at how to win games as a team and lose them as a team.”

Hyeseong Kim launched a two-run homer in the second for the game’s first scoring. Rushing delivered a two-out double before Kim unloaded on a sinker, clearing the right-field fence.

It was the second homer Holmes allowed this season.

Francisco Lindor reacts after striking out during the third inning of the Mets’ blowout loss to the Dodgers. AP

MJ Melendez’s first at-bat in a Mets uniform resulted in the team’s initial hit, a third-inning double. With two outs in the inning, Ohtani faced an 11-pitch at-bat against Francisco Lindor that culminated with a swinging strikeout on a 99-mph fastball that was well outside the strike zone.

Holmes received defensive help in the bottom of the inning as Luis Robert Jr. went full extension on a dive in center field to rob Freddie Freeman of an extra-base hit.

Melendez’s RBI double in the fifth sliced the Dodgers’ lead to 2-1, but a base-running gaffe cost the Mets an opportunity for a larger inning. After drawing a leadoff walk, Francisco Alvarez, believing Carson Benge’s shot to left was caught by Teoscar Hernández, retreated to first base.

The ball was trapped by Hernández and Alvarez was thrown out at second base on a fielder’s choice. After Melendez’s RBI double, Lindor was retired by Ohtani to leave runners stranded on second and third.

Clay Holmes delivers a pitch during the first inning of the Mets’ 8-2 blowout loss to the Dodgers on April 15, 2026 at Dodger Stadium. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

“I just feel like we’re not dictating at-bats, and getting beat by fastballs” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Even though there were some good fastballs from Ohtani today I feel like we have got to be able to put pressure.”

Ohtani capped his night by striking out the side in the sixth. Ohtani allowed one earned run on two hits and two walks in the 95-pitch outing.

Tobias Myers surrendered a homer to Hernández leading off the bottom of the sixth, extending the Dodgers’ lead to 3-1.

Myers threw a four-seamer over the middle that Hernandez crushed to right center for his fourth homer this season.

Benge doubled in the seventh, but was left stranded at third when Melendez whiffed against Blake Treinen to end the inning.

Any chance of a Mets comeback dissipated in the eighth on Rushing’s grand slam against Williams.

Hyeseong Kim is congratulated by Alex Freeland after hitting a two-run home run during the second inning of the Mets’ blowout loss to the Dodgers. Getty Images

The right-hander, pitching for the first time in eight days, allowed two singles and a walk to begin the inning before Rushing cleared the center field fence.

Williams recorded just one out in the inning before he was removed.

“They are pissed, frustrated, obviously not happy about it,” Mendoza said of his players. “I want them to be pissed.”

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Steph Curry’s late heroics lead Warriors to NBA play-in win over Clippers

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Stephen Curry, who scored a game-high 35 points, celebrates after hitting a 3-pointer during the Warriors' 126-121 win over the Clippers on April 15, 2026 in Inglewood, Calif, Image 2 shows Kristaps Porzingis, who scored 20 points, slams home a dunk during the Warriors' win over the Clippers in an NBA play-in game

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Stephen Curry hit seven 3-pointers while scoring 35 points, holding every fan at Intuit Dome in his thrall with another dazzling display of his unmatched shooting skill.

In the fourth quarter of an elimination game, Draymond Green bodied up to Kawhi Leonard and utterly shut down one of the greatest scorers of their generation.

Curry and Green have already done it all and won it all during their 14 years and four championships together.

Stephen Curry, who scored a game-high 35 points, celebrates after hitting a 3-pointer during the Warriors’ 126-121 win over the Clippers on April 15, 2026 in Inglewood, Calif. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Golden State Warriors ‘ visit to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night was merely a play-in game for the right to travel to Phoenix after a trying regular season that ended with Golden State sitting eight games below .500 and in 10th place in the Western Conference.

And yet both the style and substance of this 126-121 comeback victory indelibly evoked the brilliance of the Warriors’ golden era.

The few remaining men who have been around for the whole ride were thrilled to travel back in time.

“For one night, we’re us. We’re champions again,” coach Steve Kerr said. “And I know that may sound crazy to everybody out there. It’s a play-in game. I don’t care. Just absolutely beautiful to watch.”

Curry put it even more simply: “That’s what you live for right there.”

Golden State overcame a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter behind Curry, who scored 27 points in a dominant second half. While he took care of the offense, Green took the defensive lead with a smothering effort against Leonard, who couldn’t score in the fourth quarter until the Clippers were cooked.

The Warriors also got stellar contributions from two newcomers. Kristaps Porzingis had 20 points, five rebounds and five assists with an exciting series of big plays — and 39-year-old Al Horford shocked the entire arena when he hit four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter of just his third game since missing a month with a strained right calf.

Curry broke a tie with his final 3-pointer, falling into the front row of Clippers fans while the ball pierced the net with 50 seconds left. The superstar was playing just his fifth game since returning from a 27-game absence with a knee injury, and he demonstrated exactly why he rejected any notion that he should shut himself down for the summer.

Kristaps Porzingis, who scored 20 points, slams home a dunk during the Warriors’ win over the Clippers in an NBA play-in game. AP

“This is what you work all year for, all summer, offseason,” Curry said. “We’re not guaranteed a (playoff) series yet, but these nights make everything worth it, because you feel the anxiety of having to perform when the lights are bright, do-or-die game. … Considering how our season has gone, all the injuries and all that, for us to play the way we did tonight was special.”

Green didn’t score in the fourth quarter, but the Warriors credited their defensive stopper for stifling Leonard, whose play for Toronto in the 2019 NBA Finals is still painful in the minds of Golden State fans.

With Green hounding his every move, Leonard got only two shots in the fourth quarter. Leonard finished with 21 points while having a fraction of his usual impact on Clippers games.

Leonard called Green a “Hall of Fame defender. It was hard to even get shots up.”

Green thought the Warriors could be a title contender going into this season, but it didn’t happen. Jimmy Butler went down for the season in January, Moses Moody was sidelined in March, and Golden State finished the regular season on a 5-15 skid to its worst record in a full regular season since 2012.

But after knocking off Los Angeles, Golden State is one win away from making the playoffs anyway. Even for the Warriors who have already won everything, the chance to do the improbable is irresistible.

“I know we’re not satisfied,” Curry said. “We want to go to Phoenix and guarantee a playoff series against OKC. That’s the next goal, but for us to lock in on just 48 minutes, figure out how to get a win, knowing that the game was not going to be perfect, we were all pretty committed to that. The eight guys that got on the floor all had a part in making it happen.”